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Groser's "humiliating slap down" over TPP secrecy

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff ,
Publish Date
Tue, 13 Oct 2015, 4:12PM
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Groser's "humiliating slap down" over TPP secrecy

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff ,
Publish Date
Tue, 13 Oct 2015, 4:12PM

The High Court has ruled trade minister Tim Groser wasn't following the law when he refused to release information about the TPP.

The minister refused to release details about what was being discussed under the Official Information Act.

Auckland University academic Jane Kelsey and a group of organisations challenged that decision.

Justice Collins has ruled the minister was wrong to take a "blanket approach" to withholding information.

The court has quashed the minister's original decision to withhold information.

Mr Groser has been ordered to make a decision about each category of information separately.

Greens Co-Leader James Shaw is welcoming the decision.

He thinks it's "part of a pattern of disdain that the government's got for the Official Information Act and the public's rate to know. So I think it's great that decision has shown it's against the law, and it's not good government."

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists has also welcomed the decision, and Greenpeace have labelled it a "humiliating slap down."

Jane Kelsey said it sets a precedent for the TPP process and other secret processes.

"There are also other kinds of negotiations underway where we will need to use this ruling to get the Minister to release the information."

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